What is a Neighbourhood Plan
A brief explanation
Neighbourhood planning is a way for communities to have more control over the development that happens in their area. Any town, village or neighbourhood can choose to make a neighbourhood plan. It is the responsibility of the Town or Parish Council to oversee production of the plan, but ideally other members of the community will also get involved.
A neighbourhood plan sets out planning policy for the area which it covers. When completed it becomes a formal part of the planning system and is used by the Local Planning Authority to help determine planning applications in the area. Anything that can be affected by the planning system is a potential topic for a neighbourhood plan.
Neighbourhood plans can, for example:
- say where new houses should go and what they should look like
- say what infrastructure should be paid for by new development, such as footpaths, play areas, community and health facilities, improvements to roads and junctions etc
- safeguard community green spaces
- give protection to existing community facilities
- support local businesses, for example by allocating suitable premises
Neighbourhood plans must conform with national and district policy. They can’t say no to all development, or overturn existing planning rules. They must be based on sound evidence and they must follow a prescribed process before becoming part of district policy, including:
- thorough consultation with local residents
- approval by the Local Planning Authority (Sedgemoor District Council)
- examination by an independent inspector
- gaining a majority of votes cast in a local referendum
Cannington will be subject to many changes and much new development over the next decade. A neighbourhood plan for the parish can help to ensure that local people have a say over how this development happens, that it happens in a coordinated manner, and that the parish benefits to become an even better place to live in.
Our Aims and objectives are:
- To ensure that Cannington develops at an appropriate rate and scale based on its role and function.
- To revitalise and enhance existing open spaces and to help facilitate greater public access to the countryside for all.
- To safeguard the rural characteristics of the approaches to the village
- To support the delivery of new housing only at a rate which meets the needs and context of Cannington as a Key Rural Settlement.
- To strengthen the resilience of the existing transport and utility infrastructure networks.
- To help sustain and improve village facilities for existing and future residents.
- To protect existing greenspaces, the countryside setting and to support nature conservation.
- To require all new development to be of the highest design quality and to ensure it respects the existing built form.